The long-anticipated movie Wicked graced theaters beginning Nov. 22. Adapted from the musical, adapted from a novel under the same name, the movie Wicked is a cinematic retelling of the beloved classic, The Wizard of Oz, from a new perspective. 

The musical is a renowned masterpiece, enjoyed by all sorts of audiences across the globe. This meant that the movie had high expectations placed upon it, especially since the direction was meant to pay homage to the musical.

The story of Wicked follows Elphaba and Glinda, known in the original The Wizard of Oz as the witches of the West and North respectively, before their time in the classic story. It has strong themes of justice, setting aside differences, and friendship.

The most striking part of the film was most definitely the chemistry between Cynthia Erivo, who played Elphaba, and Ariana Grande, who played Glinda. Their friendship doesn’t stop just on screen, but is instead extended into real life. The two are seen with an intense bond offscreen, and even share ten tattoos with each other.

Aside from the actresses, the songs adapted from the musical have most definitely been done justice. For instance, the song “What Is This Feeling” is currently going viral for its choreography in the film, and its flawless delivery. 

Visually, however, it’s interesting to note the choice of using less saturated colors in the film. It is without a doubt that the film was able to bring to life what the musical was unable to, but there is a noticeable lack of saturation in the film. This choice has sparked a wave of mixed opinions between fans, but most are supportive of this artistic choice, since it puts more focus on the film’s overall themes and messages instead.

Another controversial decision the directors made was splitting the movie into two parts, the first part being two hours long. The second part is also expected to be around two hours, making the whole thing approximately four hours. This runtime has sparked minor outrage, as the original musical is much shorter than the first part alone. However, some fans also deemed the splitting of the movie as necessary, as the film requires more precision to ensure that the musical is properly adapted.

Overall, Wicked did not disappoint, and fans are eagerly waiting for the second part to come out, which is expected to release in November of 2025.